


Straw Blessings

by Lady_Kit



Series: 12 Days of Shipmas [4]
Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Angst, Family Drama, M/M, Mild Fluff, Unhealthy brotherly relationships, some mild violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-27
Updated: 2017-12-27
Packaged: 2019-02-22 11:03:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,579
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13165584
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lady_Kit/pseuds/Lady_Kit
Summary: Leaning back, Razz crossed his arms over his chest. “Is that what all this is about?” He gestured to the table before them, encompassing the food and the carefully arranged place settings. “An attempt to ingratiate yourself to me?” He waved a dismissive hand. “Tch. Well, I certainly hope dessert is a good deal more impressive than this, if that’s your aim.”___________________Tense family dinners are a Swapfell Tradition.





	Straw Blessings

**Author's Note:**

  * For [ollie_oxen_free](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ollie_oxen_free/gifts).



Honestly, Papyrus considered himself a patient skeleton. A _nonviolent_ skeleton. It was what made him so Great! And, if he insisted on calling Razz by ‘Razzberry’ because he _knew_ how much the other skeleton hated it, or made a point of making puns and ‘short’ jokes whenever Razz was around, wasn’t it to be expected? After all, Razz was constantly picking at Slim. Belittling him. Putting him down. Even if Slim accepted it with downcast eyes and a silent flinch, Papyrus found it much more difficult to accept, especially after they started dating. Nevertheless, he could usually smile and say something with an extra helping of aggressive friendliness. This time, though, Razz was making it very, very difficult for him.

“Married?” he asked, looking between the pair of Papyrus-es. “You’re getting _married_? To the _dog_?” He snorted derisively. “Why?”

Papyrus swallowed down his rage and managed a smile, taking Slim’s hand. “BECAUSE WE LOVE EACH OTHER.” His skeleton’s grin was bright. One might even say it was forceful. Aggressive. Edge, sitting beside Razz, sat up a little straighter, alert and wary. Then again, who could better read Papyrus than himself? Razz, who had never really bothered to learn the Papyrus-es’ body language, was not aware of any coming trouble.

His sockets narrowed, and he looked at Slim, sneering, “I suppose you want my permission?” he asked. Leaning back, he crossed his arms over his chest. “Is that what all this is about?” He gestured to the table before them, encompassing the food and the carefully arranged place settings. “An attempt to ingratiate yourself to me?” He waved a dismissive hand. “Tch. Well, I certainly hope dessert is a good deal more impressive than this, if that’s your aim.”

Papyrus closed his hand tightly, then forced it open and picked up a fork, toying with it. Slim kept hold of his other hand. “WELL, EDGY-ME BROUGHT DESSERT, SO I’M SURE IT’S QUITE LOVELY.”

Razz glanced at Edge, offering a begrudging nod. Then he turned back to Papyrus, brow-bone raised. “So? Aren’t you going to ask me?”

The fork started to bend between his fingers. “ASK WHAT?”

Slim started to shrink in on himself, already shutting down. Edge, watching Papyrus’ hands, leaned over and whispered something to Razz, but Razz waved him off. “For my permission. Aren’t you going to ask? Isn’t that what this is all about?” He laughed a little, leaning forward eagerly. He smirked and glanced at his brother. With a start, Papyrus realized that Razz was _enjoying_ this. He was pleased to think he held all the cards, all the power. Pleased to think that they were coming to him for his approval.

The head of the fork snapped off, the metal too stressed to hold together. It clattered onto the table. “NO,” Papyrus said, still smiling.

Razz blinked, and Edge sighed, rubbing that space between his brow-bones. “Excuse me?”

“MOST CERTAINLY!” Papyrus said brightly, “YOU ARE EXCUSED, RAZZ. FROM THIS TABLE. FROM OUR HOME.” He briefly squeezed Slim’s hand. “AND FROM OUR LIVES, IF NEED BE.”

Razz sat back, his mouth open as if he wanted to speak but couldn’t find the words. Then his sockets narrowed and his eyelights flared. “What did you just say?” He leaned forward, one hand planted on the table as he stood. “How _dare_ you—“

Before he knew it, Papyrus was standing too. The fork fell out of his fingers, and he released Slim’s hand. “I INVITE YOU INTO OUR HOME. YOU DISRESPECT ME. YOU DISRESPECT MY COOKING. _AND YOU DISRESPECT MY MATE._ THEN YOU HAVE THE AUDACITY TO BE OFFENDED WHEN I TELL YOU TO LEAVE?”

Razz came around the table, sneering. “Oh? I’m sorry, did I hurt your feelings?” he scoffed, “I suppose it makes sense that your ego’s so fragile, since there’s no actual substance behind it.”

Papyrus tried to grit his teeth, tried to grin and bear it. Instead, he leaned forward and his voice lowered, becoming softer and deeper. “You’re hardly one to talk, Razz. Remind me, what is it, exactly, that makes you so great? Ah, yes, that’s right: casual murder. Your disregard for life is so _impressive._ I am filled with admiration.” He applauded slowly even as Edge rested his face in his hands. “Good job, Razz. Truly. What an accomplishment.”

Slowly, Razz’s sneer softened into a smirk. “Maybe that explains your infatuation with the dog, then. He’s killed almost as many people as I have.”

Still seated at the table, Slim whimpered quietly and Papyrus turned to him. He’d pulled his hood up over his head, and his eyelights were bright and fearful. Not just wounded by Razz’s words, but honestly afraid—afraid that they would affect how Papyrus viewed him. And that was it. Papyrus was done. His hand curled into a fist, and he didn’t even think about it. He just reacted.

His knuckles ached and Razz stood in front of him, head turned to the side and sockets wide. Slowly, he raised a hand to his cheek and the fresh flush of magic rising to the surface. Edge was suddenly between them, his hands raised to catch any more stray punches, his eyelights alert and sharp. Razz, however, chuckled and turned to look at Papyrus, grinning. “So you’re not just a creampuff, then.” He straightened, smirking. The cruel glint hadn’t gone out of his eyelights, though. “Alright, then. You have my permission to marry the—“

“Get out,” Papyrus said, voice soft. “Get out of our house.”

Razz blinked. “Perhaps you didn’t understand,” he said, “You have my permission.” He said the last few words slowly, enunciating carefully as if he was afraid Papyrus wouldn’t understand him otherwise.

A low growl vibrated through Papyrus’ ribcage. “We do not need or want your permission. We wanted to announce it to you and Edge because you’re family. Because we hoped that you could be happy for us. I see now that that is not possible. So get out. You are not welcome here, Razz.”

Razz stared, aghast. “You’re not serious,” he sneered.

“Very. Get out. Now.”

Slowly, he shook his head. Then he turned away from Papyrus to look at Slim. “Brother? Are you really going to stand back and let him speak to me like this? Without saying a word?”

Papyrus exhaled hard, realizing that he’d just done the same thing that Razz had always done. He’d taken away Slim’s voice, started making decisions without consulting him. Flinching, his shoulders drooping, Papyrus stepped away from Razz and Edge to reach out and take Slim’s hand, squeezing the fingers comfortingly. When Slim met his eyelights, he winced and dropped his gaze. Lacing their fingers together, Slim stood up, standing shoulder-to-shoulder with his mate.

“captain,” he said, softly, still using a title that had been rendered meaningless once they reached the surface, “funny thing. you know you only call me ‘brother’ when you want something? ‘s funny, right?” Razz’s mouth popped open, his sockets wide. Even Edge seemed taken aback. Speechless, Razz just started as Slim tucked himself into Papyrus’ side. “i think you should go now,” he murmured, though he wasn’t looking at Razz anymore.

Razz growled and took a step forward, his hands fisted at his sides, but Edge planted a hand on his chest. “Razz,” he said, “Enough. It’s time to go.”

“You’re more than welcome to stay, Edgy-Me.”

Edge turned and glared at him. “Thank you,” he said stiffly, “but you’re not helping.” He refocused on Razz and took a step forward, trying to push Razz back. But Razz wouldn’t budge. He looked past Edge to glare at Slim and Papyrus. Papyrus lifted his chin and wrapped an around Slim. Pulling him in close. Something, some unfamiliar emotion, flickered in Razz’s eyelights, and he swallowed, nodding stiffly. “Razz.”

“Fine!” he said sharply. “Fine. We can…we can go, then.”

“How magnanimous,” Edge said, rolling his eyelights as he ushered Razz out the door. He paused once to look back at Slim and Papyrus. “Congratulations,” he said, voice tight and stiff, but he spoke genuinely enough. “When you settle on a date…” He looked at the ground, then looked up at them again drawing himself up proudly. “…come talk to me about the wedding cake. I…might have some experience. With that.” He cleared this throat, then ducked out the door, shutting it behind him.

As soon as they were gone, Papyrus wrapped his arms around Slim and pulled him into a hug. “I’m sorry,” he whispered, “I’m just. I’m so sorry. That.” He took a shuddering breath. “That isn’t how I expected things to go at all.”

“i know,” Slim said, and from his tone, Papyrus could tell he was grinning. Pulling back, Papyrus looked down at him, and Slim smiled for him. One of those secret smiles he seemed to save for Papyrus alone. Bright and broad and open. Unselfconscious. Unafraid. “went way better than i thought it would.”

Papyrus stared at him for a few seconds, then kissed him even as he started laughing. “Come on, then. Dinner’s—“ He looked at the table, something ugly twisting inside of him. The idea of sitting down and trying to pretend like the last half hour hadn’t happened was just…too much.

Slim nudged him lightly. “wanna sit on the couch and eat cake ‘til we’re sick?”

Shaking his head, Papyrus lightly kissed him again and said, “PERHAPS NOT UNTIL WE’RE SICK…BUT, STARS— _YES_.”

“sweet.”

“…WAS THAT A PUN?”

**Author's Note:**

> ...This is probably the most self-indulgent thing I've ever written, honestly.
> 
> Hope you liked it, Ollie.


End file.
